Aweil East residents learn UNMISS role
15 August - UNMISS was assisting the people and government of South Sudan to develop vital institutions, the commissioner of Aweil East County, Northern Bahr El-Ghazal State, said today.
Closing a one-day mission awareness event, Commissioner Awet Kiir Awet commended UNMISS for its continuous efforts to strengthen the capacity of state organs.
"UNMISS ... trained the police personnel on police law, prison personnel on prison law, and judiciary personnel ... on their different laws," Mr. Awet said. "And now they are telling us about human rights."
During the discussion, participants requested UNMISS to also assist in providing services like health and education as well as developing infrastructure.
The UNMISS team explained the role of the mission and activities carried out by its different sections, stressing that it was not mandated to undertake development projects.
"We are not an NGO," said Recovery Reintegration and Peace building (RRP) team leader Numa Shams. "We are not UN agencies who can bring a lot of physical benefits. We are not representing bilateral donors who can also provide a lot of resources."
Explaining that UNMISS was a peacekeeping mission, Mr. Shams highlighted specific aspects of the mission's role, including protection of civilians and institution-building as well as promotion of dialogue, political participation and rights.
Participants at the event included county officials and area chiefs as well as members of the organized forces, women's groups, youth, and civil society.